Texas House Bill HB3487

Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Caption

Relating to the creation of an instructional materials web portal by the commissioner of education.

Impact

The bill introduces significant amendments to the Texas Education Code, specifically in Chapter 31. It mandates a thorough evaluation of instructional materials provided by publishers, which must undergo an independent quality analysis to ensure they align with state educational standards. These analyses will then be published on the web portal, thereby enhancing the quality of instructional materials available to educators. This move is expected to provide clearer guidelines for schools in making informed decisions related to educational content.

Summary

House Bill 3487 relates to the establishment of an instructional materials web portal managed by the commissioner of education. This portal aims to assist school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in selecting appropriate instructional materials. Under the provisions of the bill, the portal will include essential information about each instructional material including price, specifications, and system requirements. Furthermore, it requires the commissioner to develop a competitive process for contracting the creation of the web portal, ensuring that the development process is transparent and equitable.

Contention

While the bill is primarily aimed at improving the selection process for instructional materials, there may be points of contention regarding the independence of the evaluations conducted by private entities. Concerns might arise around the criteria used for evaluation and the potential influence of publishers on the content quality assessments. Additionally, the definition of open educational resources within the portal may lead to discussions on what constitutes appropriate material for educational settings, including controversies over content accessibility and suitability.